Now Reading: Delhi HC moots de-registration of ISPs over Jaya Bachchan porn content
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Delhi HC moots de-registration of ISPs over Jaya Bachchan porn content
The Delhi High Court has directed the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to consider de-registering Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that failed to block pornographic content misusing actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan's name. Justice Jyoti Singh expressed concern that ISPs were neither enforcing court orders nor responding to government directions, and suggested de-registration could act as a deterrent for other providers.
Bar & Bench reports that Bachchan's counsel informed the court the objectionable material remained accessible months after an ex parte order dated November 10, 2025, directing MEITY and DoT to block the webpages. MEITY and DoT confirmed in court that the ISPs had not complied. Medianama adds that the order stems from a suit Bachchan filed to protect her personality rights against websites, social media accounts, and e-commerce platforms allegedly misusing her name, image, and persona, including through AI-generated content. Google, YouTube, Meta, Amazon, and eBay are among the parties named in the suit.
The court has directed MEITY and DoT to report on regulatory options to enforce compliance. The matter will next be heard on September 1.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both sources report the same core facts neutrally. Bar & Bench leads with the court's direct quote threatening de-registration, framing the story around judicial toughness. Medianama provides more context, noting the broader personality-rights suit and similar cases involving the Bachchan family, framing it as part of a wider legal pattern. Neither source takes a government-critical or pro-government stance. The measured takeaway: the court is escalating from blocking orders to potential ISP de-registration, setting a possible precedent for intermediary liability in personality-rights cases. Watch for MEITY and DoT's report on September 1.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): barandbench.com (neutral report), medianama.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
